Process of tanning and compound therefor



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. THOMPSON, OF COLUMBUS, INDIANA.

PROCESS OF TANNING AND COMPOUND THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letterslatent No. 555,028, dated February 18, 1896. Application filed July 1, 1895. Serial No. 554,635. (No specimens.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at C0- lumbus, in the county of Bartholomew and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Tanning and Compound Therefor; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved process of tanning hides, skins, &c., and has for one of its objects and advantages the production of a tanning solution free from all acid or other injurious ingredients calculated to harm the fiber and cause a consequent deterioration of the leather,lessening its durability and otherwise depreciating its commercial value and usefulness. Besides obviating the evil results to be encountered in solutions containing acids or other like quickening elements my improved process requires but one bath and relieves of all necessity of afterscouring, the leather is quickly and easily stuffed, permitting of the use of an equal quantity of grease, as in oak-tanning, gives the finished hide a very fair appearance, such as is to be observed in hides and skins treated by the alum processes, softens the same, and produces a very firm and durable fiber, closely set and of a very silky nature. Besides these advantages it lessens the cost of tanning and reduces the consumption of time to a minimum.

With these and other objects and advantages in view my process consists in the novel combination of elements hereinafter described and more particularly set fort-11in the appended claims.

To describe my process, I take the seed of myrobalans, an astringent fruit, and separating the hulls from the same I grind the said hulls to a powdery condition. To this I add ground Sicily sumach and clean water in the proportion of five (5) parts of myrobalans and ten (10) parts Sicily sumach to one hundred (100) parts of water. I now steamor heat this mixture to a point where it boils and then place it aside to cool. It is now in a condition to receive the hides or skins and is poured into a vat of any ordinary or preferred construction. The hides are then hung on the rockers, as is well known to those versed in the art, and rocked twice a day during the period necessary to tan various hides and skins, the mixture being well agitated or stirred during such rocking movement.

The period of time these hides and skins require to be treated varies, as I before stated, accordingly as they are goat or sheep, calf, cow, or heavy steer hides, such periods, however, being considerably less than in other tanning processes where the preservation of the fibers is likewise of more consideration than the consumption of time, and strong acceleratory acids are eliminated entirely from the compounds. After the bath the hides undergo the usual grease stuffing to which they are subjected at this stage and are then finished. The amount of grease hides and skins treatedby my process will receive equals that of hides tanned with oak or like barks.

The myrobalans, the properties of which are well known, enter or penetrate the green hide or skin and drive out the fat and give the fiber that tenacity necessary to the finest grades of leather, and the sumach softens the same and prevents anyhardening or cracking consequent upon treatment with myrobalans alone.

My process, besides embodying cheapness and novelty, shortens the periods of time necessary to tan various hides and skins to such an extent that it is invaluable from a commercial point of view both as a time and a labor saver.

Having thus described my process, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described process, consisting in subjecting the hides or skins to a bath of myrobalans, sumach and water compounded in the proportions described.

2. The herein-described bath, consisting of powdered myrobalans, ground Sicily sumach and water in the proportions specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. THOMPSON. Witnesses:

ISAAC LUCAS, D. EARL FULWIDER. 

